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Healthy options when dining out, from the June 2014 Harvard Health Letter

Published: June, 2014

Dining out can sometimes threaten healthy eating plans. The butter, sugar, and salt that chefs add, plus gigantic portion sizes, can make even a healthy heart stutter. But eating out can be a wonderful and healthful experience with a few adjustments and a little planning, reports the June 2014 Harvard Health Letter.

One quick way to make a meal healthier is to make it smaller. "Large portions are a challenge in many restaurants, and once the food is on the plate, it can be difficult to resist," says Registered Dietitian Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. She offers three strategies to avoid eating more than one's fill:

cut an entrée in half the moment it arrives, and ask the wait staff to wrap it up

split an entrée with a dining companion

skip an entrée altogether and order two appetizers instead

Here's another way to make restaurant meals healthier: ask a server how the meal is prepared before ordering. "If something is typically prepared in butter, ask for it to be steamed or broiled without added butter, or ask for it to be sautéed in olive oil instead," says McManus. Likewise, ask that the chef go easy on added salt. Other strategies include:

Make substitutions. Choose brown rice instead of white, or ask for black beans instead of French fries.

Ask for sauce on the side. That lets you control how much sauce to eat.

Plan ahead: Look at the restaurant's menu on the Internet, call ahead and ask questions, or visit the restaurant in advance to check out the offerings.

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Daily Health Tip

Exercise is the best medicine

Don't fixate on your cholesterol, blood sugar, or blood pressure numbers. What really makes a difference is exercise. As little as 15 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days of the week can help lower your cardiovascular risk.